Deer Hunting or Deer Watching?

[HenryFan]

Father Time is relentless.

He snuck up on me with no warning or pity.

[Mags]

For many years now just watch. They wander through our property several times a month. Last week we we had a buck below the house in the creek bed meadow. Other than plinkin, my hunting ammo is reserved for taking nutria and non-native squirrels.

[Hatchdog]

I too have become just a watcher as I no longer hunt big game. When we moved into our current house in 2016 we had several bucks visit us. After a few years more homes were built nearby especially since 2020 and all the unrest between big city riots and Covid. So we don’t see near the number of deer in our back yard as we used to. Here’s a few examples we used to see regularly.

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[HenryFan]

I You will always have the memories of the good times in the woods.

How true. That might be the best part of it.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Interesting...I've never heard of a Deer season in August......where might that be?
Just curious.

Southern South Carolina. Best this way forever. August 15th to January 1st........best place in the US to kill a velvet buck........On the 15th ALL methods of killing deer are legal.....Rifles/shotguns/pistols/muzzle loaders/boows-spears etc.
Here a lot deer are road killed too.

[Vaquero]

I still hunt, but I'm not nearly as mad at 'em as I used to be.
I did kill 3 last year, but 2 were given away.
I've had several opportunities in the past 2 weeks during our muzzleloader season, but chose not to.
Taking the grandson in the morning as our reg. firearms season begins tomorrow and runs thought the first of the year.

RP

[Vaquero]

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RP

[HenryFan]

Quit watching yesterday evening and began shooting. A group of four does came out and I watched them move into the food plot where they began to graze. After maybe twenty or twenty-five minutes, one edged away from the others and moved towards the edge of the food plot. She must have sensed I was in a nearby ladder stand. She watched but wasn't sure something was wrong and I decided I needed to shoot before she alerted the other girls.

I had not pulled the trigger all year and I decided she was a victim of "end of the year statistics". She was close, maybe thirty-five or forty years and it was an easy shot. She ran maybe forty yards and piled up in an open area. She was a decent sized doe, maybe a hundred pounds, maybe a couple more.

Shot in the last light in the last hour of the last hunt (for me) of the year.

This will keep Ms. HenryFan happy, she loves venison.

[Vaquero]

Well, I guess I've just been an observer this season. The #2 grandson has taken my place this year.
He turned 9 back the middle of Oct., and has taken 3, the last was last evening.
After work he told me he wanted to go to the bean field and shoot a doe.
So grabbed the rifle and headed out, jumped on the 4-wheeler and road over close then walked over to about mid way of the western side and layed down on the berm. He asked what time I thought they'd come out? I told him, Idk, deer have a mind of their own.
Well, I hadn't got that out of my mouth good and I said well there's 2 coming out right now, then 2 more.
So we laid there and watched them meander across for 20-25 mins.
One finally made it to about 135 yds., which looked like as close as they would get.
I asked him if he could make the shot and with a very confident look he said heck yeah.
He couldn't get comfortable at first, but finally did and made a nice shot, she ran probably 80+ yards before piling up.
Wants to go again this AM, but with the 15-20 mph breeze I think it may not be a great morning.
Our season ends Sunday.

RP

[HenryFan]

Vaquero -

Time spent in the field with your grandson makes precious memories. He sounds like an accomplished hunter. You must be proud.